Easy is the Descent
by vladerag
Summary: Doing the wrong thing for the right reason has... ramifications... Dipper will come to learn that, the only question being whether his friends can pull him back from the brink. Rated M in case things get dark, and because there will be Manatee genocide. Contains Dippifica (Dipper/Pacifica) Mabel/Mermando, Gruncle Ford/Bill and could theoretically be called a dark Dipper story.
1. Chapter 1

Ever since Stanford had returned, Dipper had felt conflicted. Here, finally, was the Author. The person who could answer all his questions, and even after having finally gotten to see him as a person - even if that happened to be when they were abducted by a interdimensional math wizard bent on eating their brains, he was still distant. He could read any of the three Journals, and had been reading Gideon's journal cover to cover, but even with so much more knowledge, Dipper could only feel like more was being hidden from him. One does not simply go from an almost-apocalypse to happy fun summer times with ease. Unless your Mabel, who was currently stuffing Waddles into a sweater while Gompers munched on a loose thread.

"Come on Dipper!" Mabel shouted as she held up Waddles and his 'I'm the baconater' sweater, "You cant spend all your life in those journals, we have a summer vacation to enjoy!"

"I cant Mabel, even with Ford downstairs there is too much I don-"

He was interrupted by a newspaper swatting down (lightly) on his head.

"Listen to your sister," Grunkle Stanley, "You and my brother might enjoy some nerd things together, but what he is doing is still dangerous. And your mother would kill me if anything happened to you."

"We've already ended up in jail because of you." Dipper grumbled, still wondering how his parents would react if they found out he had been arrested for helping his Great Uncle counterfeit bills.

In the end, however, Dipper was pulled out of the Mystery Shack by his twin, journals tucked into his backpack and soon almost forgotten about as they ran around the woods. Almost forgotten, but not quite. For as much as his sister could lose herself in the moment, Dipper never could help but keep an eye out around them. You could never know in Gravity Falls what might happen.

Even trying to expect the unexpected, Dipper was surprised to see a black limousine driving up towards the Mystery Shack. Unfortunately, the moment of distraction cost him, as Mabel took the opportunity to pelt him with water balloons.

Although after the events at her family mansion, Pacifica Northwest could possibly be called his friend, Dipper was surprised when she did not even make a passing comment about the dripping state of his clothes as she rushed over to him. Looking closer at her face however, it seemed like she was on the verge of panic.

"I hate to do this," Pacifica began, not even letting Dipper get a word out. "But I dont know who else to go to..."

Mabel emerged from the bushes, having somehow found green face paint to camouflage her face and with twigs and leaves glued to her sweater to help her blend in, Dipper didnt even know when she had the time to make that. And both of the Stans came out as well, curious about the presence of the limousine.

"I need your help," The Northwest said, a feeling of Deja Vu rushing past Dipper as he remembered the night he had helped her at her family's manor. "Something is wrong with my father, and I dont have anyone else to turn too"

"Woah there," Dipper began as Pacifica all but dragged him towards the limousine. "What do you mean? What is going on?"

"Indeed," Stanford moved to step between Pacifica and the vehicle, "slow down and tell us what is happening. To start with, would someone mind telling me who this kid is?"

"I don't have time for your pathetic jokes Stan Pines." Dipper realized Pacifica had mistaken Stanford for Stanley, although he honestly couldn't see how anyone could, even in the distracted state Pacifica was in.

"Ford, meet Pacifica Northwest." Dipper said to introduce the two, "Pacifica, this my Gruncle's brother, Stanford."

Ford's eyes narrowed, but Pacifica pressed on.

"Dipper, please" Dipper wasn't used to that word coming from Pacifica, and she looked like she wasn't very familiar with it herself. (though admittedly she knew how to pronounce it, Pacifica's inability to say "sharing" was still something he found hilarious) "Introductions can wait, my father isn't acting himself."

She moved to go around, but Ford moved to block her.

"Northwest..." He brought his six fingered hand up to his chin, squinting at Pacifica as he scratched at his beards stubble. "This father of yours wouldn't be Preston Northwest would he?"

"Yup that would be him," Mabel gave her best impression, which was admittedly pretty terrible "Tonight we shall enjoy only the snootiest of laughter." After which she snorted in a way that made Waddles come to investigate. Not losing a beat, she picked Waddles up and continued to snort her nose pressed to his.

Ford frowned slightly at Mabel, as Stanley laughed, but his eyes returned to Dipper and Pacifica. "He isn't going anywhere with you." Ford's voice was stern as he broke Pacifica's grip easily. Old as he was, and without the fighting talent of his more physical brother, it didn't take Stanford much effort to overcome a twelve year olds grip.

"How dare you?" Pacifica shouted, looking as if she couldn't decide whether to slap Ford or start crying. Dipper had only seen her so unhinged once before, and he didn't feel at all comfortable with it.

"Dipper," Ford said, turning too him. "I know Preston." He scowled, "I know him far better than i would like. You cant trust that man, I don't want you anywhere near him."

"Wait," Dipper began confusedly, not sure which way to turn. "What do you know about Preston Northwest?" He trusted Stanford, as much as he trusted anyone, which he had to admit to himself was not as much as he should.

"We don't need to talk about that," Ford said quickly, "But I'm not letting you anywhere near him." He turned to Pacifica as he guided a protesting Dipper back to the Mystery Shack. "Tell your father that he reaps what he sows."

And with that they left Pacifca alone in front of the Mystery Shack, Dippers last look back seeing tears in her eyes before she turned back to the limousine.

-Notes-

I'm so sorry... I never wanted to write fanfiction... but here I am. Meh, the chapters will be short, but many. More detailed notes will follow in later chapters... if I care enough... I wont.

facilis descensus averno, sed revocare gradum superasque evadere at auras, hoc opus, hic labor est


	2. Chapter 2

"What aren't you telling me?" Dipper asked angrily, becoming frustrated with the evasive answers of his Gruncle. "And why are you always so anxious to hide your past from us?"

"No one wants to, needs to, or even should know what I know about the Northwests." Ford replied grimly, still herding Dipper and Mabel away from the door.

"Pacifica isn't a bad person!" Mabel pleaded with Ford, "I mean she kind of was a jerk, but some arguments with little golf people and an angry lumber ghost kind of fixed that!"

"Just trust me on this, some things are better left hidden."

Later, up in there room. Mabel watched Dipper pace on the floor, venting his frustration to his twin.

"I cant believe this," Dipper's voice could almost have been called a growl, if it hadn't been followed by a kitten sneeze that made Waddles come over to investigate. Dipper ignored the piglet, not even slightly in the mood for its adorableness. "Our Gruncles wont tell us anything. They never have!"

"Pacifica isnt a bad person," Mabel chimed in, "If we talk to Gruncle Ford I'm sure we could get him to understand."

Dipper gave a frustrated sigh and glared down through the floorboards imagining his Gruncles below them. "We could talk all day, but it doesn't matter since neither of them will listen." With that thought, Dipper came to a decision.

"If we want something to happen, we will have to do it ourselves."

Mabel grinned, then dived under her bed, rummaging around and throwing sweaters and puppets behind her as she searched. Finally she emerged, holding her prize above her head triumphantly.

"GRAPPLING HOOK!"

Dipper would never tell her how the various objects (including a glue gun, an empty smile dip container, and half knit sweater) stuck to her lessened the epic-ness of her pose.

Five minutes later they were speeding away from the Mystery Shack in the Shack's golf cart.

"Do you think Gruncle Stan will ever hide the keys to this?" Mabel asked, waving goodbye to Waddles as they left.

"He will probably just give them to Soos," Dipper said, idly wondering as he drove whether or not the vehicle was stolen from the mini golf course. "And I don't really think we will have much trouble borrowing them from him."

Though faster than walking, the cart was not nearly as fast as a car. (Though admittedly, the engine was clearly modified. It would figure that Stan would have stronger engines in his vehicles, all the better to get away with) And it struggled to get up hills. Over one particularly steep incline Dipper had to get out and help push, scowling at the gnomes that watched and laughed from the side of the road.

They didn't even attempt to bring the cart up the road to Pacifica's mansion, and so the two had to hike up to the main gates. By the time they reached them, it was late in the afternoon. Dipper wondered if their Gruncles had noticed their absence yet. Probably not, he thought bitterly, much as Gruncle Stan loved his great nephew and niece, he wasn't much for checking up on them. How often had even noticed they were gone before?

Dipper pressed the call button on the intercom on the side of the imposing gates. He imagined the people who had camped out in front of them not that long ago... The walls and monogrammed gate were quite intimidating.

"Good afternoon," Dipper recognized the voice of the unnamed Butler Mabel had called 'fancy' at their last visit. "Please state your name and business."

"Umm, its Dipper-"

"And Mabel!" Mabel interjected.

"And Mabel," Dipper conceded, "and Pacifica wanted to see us?" His mind had worked through all sorts of possibilities for what she could need. Had the ghost come back? That seemed unlikely, and honestly that was the most trouble he had seen the Northwests get into in Gravity Falls. The towns strangeness seemed to give them a wide berth.

There was a pause and then, "Very good sir and ma'am." And the gates slowly creaked open, revealing the path up the Manor proper. "Young Miss Northwest will be waiting in the foyer to meet you."

-Notes-

So... I guess I promised actual notes this time. Honestly, I have so much work to do that I barely have time to write. Which, I should admit, is why I have chosen to write relatively short chapters. It is easier to keep my line of thought when I can simply sit down and write a chapter in one go as opposed to have to continually return to it. That said, most of the time I spent on this chapter was attempting to find out how a butler would address the daughter of his employer, eventually settling on 'Miss' because Pacifica would be young and unmarried, and although in a position to give orders, not actually the employer of the butler. And fair warning to people out there, this isn't going to have any lemon in it. Things may or may not be implied, based on how this goes in writing, but these kids are twelve. And while that is old enough to be perverted, it isn't old enough for them to be doing anything and it is certainly to young for me to be comfortable writing about it. As a side note, since Fanfiction wont let me put more than two pairings, this fic will also contain Mabel/Mermando and Soos/Melody. mleh, I'm tired.

facilis descensus averno, sed revocare gradum superasque evadere at auras, hoc opus, hic labor est


	3. Chapter 3

It was only the unkown gravity of the situation that kept Mabel from kidnapping one of the Northwest's peacocks as the mystery twins walked through the manor grounds and up to the front door. It opened smoothly before them as they approached it.

"Good afternoon Sir and Ma'am," The Butler gave a slight bow, and welcomed them in. "Would you like one of the maids to take your coats?"

"Ummm" Dipper was going to say that neither he nor his sister had brought a coat when Mabel tossed one of hers to the waiting staff. "I am not going to question where or how you got that."

"Dipper, you came!" Pacifica Northwest ran into the room, nearly running over the maid holding Mabel's jacket. Instead of her usual attire she wore a light-green dress. Although, Dipper mused, considering their reaction to his normal outfit this probably was usual for the Northwest's inside their manor.

"It wasn't exactly easy," Dipper said, honestly more worried than he would admit to his sister about his Gruncle's finding out. Much as Ford kept hidden, Dipper liked and respected the man, and hoped it would someday be returned. "But Mabel and I wouldn't leave a friend hanging like that."

Pacifica's lip quivered, it was fairly clear that she wasnt used to someone caring enough to do something like this for her, especially considering last time she had had to bribe Dipper and Mabel with part invites to get their help. Mabel put her arm on Pacifica's back, "Don't worry Pacifica," she said soothingly, "My bro-bro is an expert and the weirdness here, hes got your back. And I've got the grappling hook."

Pacifica didn't question that last statement, just welcoming the unusual sensation of someone comforting her.

"So what is the problem?" Dipper cut straight to the heart of the matter, uncomfortable seeing the usually strong Pacifica like this. He had seen her like this before, and it always struck him as a depressing thing. "You mentioned your father." Dipper kept his thoughts about Preston Northwest to himself, not even sure if he actually wanted to help the man with anything.

Pacifica motioned the twins to follow her, and dismissed the staff as she did so. Soon it was just the three of them walking through the halls of the manor.

"It started just about a week ago," Pacifica began, a far off look in her eyes. "It seemed so small, yet so strange... Looking at my father and seeing his hair messy. And he just didnt notice throughout the day."

"Messy hair? Blah! My hair is always messy!" Mabel grinned, trying to bring some levity to Pacifcas mood.

Pacifca glanced at Mabel but otherwise gave no indication of even hearing the attempt at cheering her up. "From there, things just got worse. He became a mess, refused to let the servants dress him. We had to lock him in our personal quarters when he tried to head to town in his underwear."

Dipper frowned, having met Preston Northwest, he couldn't see the man letting his hair go, much less slipping this far.

"My mother is worried sick over this whole thing," Pacifica continued, tears welling in her eyes. "Ever since the doctors told her nothing was wrong with Father, she wont even leave her bed anymore. But I don't think this is anything a doctor could fix... My family, since moving to Gravity Falls, has a history of this."

"Yeah," Dipper said slowly, his mind working through his knowledge of Gravity Fall's history. "Your ancestors obtained the town after President Trembley disappeared and grew the land by tricking the Native Americans that lived here. But the way he died..."

"Nathaniel Northwest, my great-great-grandfather, died trying to eat an oak tree to prove he was a powerful wizard." Pacifica finished for him, "Even before then he was thought of as an idiot, but that is just part of the hatred against my family. It isn't undeserved hatred, but he was a shrewd man until his later years. And this pattern has gone through the head of my family for generations, but my grandfather was not affected by it."

She stopped, sniffling. "I didn't think it was real. Its like my family is cursed, by something far worse than a disgruntled lumberjack."

"From what I have read of curses," Dipper said slowly, "if they are passed down through a family, they usually don't skip a generation. Can I see your father?"

Wiping her eyes again, Pacifica nodded. "That's why I've brought you here," she gestured to a door across the hall and produced a key, fitting it into the lock and pushing the door open.

Inside was chaos. A once fine room torn apart, the furniture upturned every which way and even scratches on the walls, in the middle of this visual madness was a shivering Preston Northwest. To the young twins horror he wasn't wearing much, Mabel at least had the option of averting her eyes. But Dipper steeled himself and took a closer look.

"Father..." Pacifica's voice was soft, struggling with the unfamiliar task of comforting her parent. "I've brought someone here to see you. You remember Dipper? He helped us with the ghost not long ago..."

The messy, wild eyed man focused for a moment, honing in on his daughters voice. "Ahhhh Pacifica," Preston Northwest sounded nothing like himself, breaking out into giggles and changing tone without any sense at all. "Don't you know the greatness I am about to achieve? I am on the cusp of victory!"

"Mr. Northwest," Dipper said nervously, a little frightened by the mans antics. "Do you remember me? Dipper Pines?"

Preston didn't respond, his second of almost lucid thought gone as he began gibbering again about victory and greatness.

"Dipper," Mabel said, her normal exuberance muted by the scene. "look at this."

Dipper went to where his sister was and gasped. An entire wall of the room was covered in writing, all carved into the wood with a broken piece of a vase.

Pacifica, unable to take her eyes from her father, walked up behind the twins. "He wouldn't stop talking about these things," she glanced at the wall, "nor writing. Before we realized how far he had gone, he sent many letters to various business partners. All of them like this wall here."

"We are so close to victory," Dipper began reading the wall under his breath. "My great grandfather paved the way for survival. The end is coming and the Northwests will survive and thrive. They shall all serve us..."

Dipper went cold. To be sure, this was madness, but there was more warnings of the end than just these ramblings. Dipper wondered if the events surrounding Ford's return through the portal may have preempted this...

"Dipper," Pacifica turned to him. "Can you do something? Please."

Dipper snapped out of his thoughts, turning toward to look Pacifica in the eyes. The desperation and sadness was too much and he turned back to the shivering wreck of Preston Northwest.

"He hasn't lost his memory," Dipper began reasoning aloud slowly. "And moreover still speaks about magic, so this isnt the work of some remnant of the blind eye society."

"And he is awake," Mabel chimed in. "So its probably not Mr. Triangle Dude."

Dipper shifted uncomfortably at the mention of Bill. He still was terrified of the demon after losing his body to him, he was only lucky that Bill had left the body in one piece.

"So what is happening?"

"I don't know." It was something Dipper hated to say, though so much in Gravity Falls defied knowledge.

Pacifica broke down then, sinking to the floor crying. Mabel put her arm around the crying blonde and glanced at her brother. He could see in her eyes that she didn't want Pacifica to go through this pain. Regardless of her opinion of Preston Northwest, she wouldnt let her friend suffer like this.

Dipper tried to tell himself that he wanted to know what Preston knew about the possible 'end of the world,' but looking at Pacifica he knew that he couldn't leave her like this either. Dipper would sacrifice anything for his sister, but had difficulty trusting others, but seeing Pacifica like this he steeled himself and made his choice.

"I don't know what is wrong with him." Dipper pulled out of his backpack Journals two and three, flipping through them to different pages and laying them out. "But I do know a way to find out."

"Thank *hiccup* you," Pacifca smiled at Dipper, and he coughed and put his head into the books, warmth flooding his face.

Dipper sighed to himself, mentally adding another person to the list of people he would sacrifice for as he began to outline his plan.

-notes-

So... I wrote another chapter today. Don't ask me why, I don't know. I get a day (mostly) to myself and instead of playing Planetside 2 or Starcraft 2 or something else with a number in it I wrote another chapter. meh. Some of the next chapters will refer to cut content from Gravity Falls and rely on some of the twitter posts by the shows creator, Alex Hirsch. I personally regard all of these things as canon, since it is what the creator says. However, if you haven't seen that content, i do admit that the next few chapters may become confusing and one joke will most definitely fall flat. Also, I really feel like I don't capture the talkativeness of the siblings very well. It isn't like Mabel or Dipper to stay as silent as they do in my fic. Kind of bothers me.

facilis descensus averno, sed revocare gradum superasque evadere at auras, hoc opus, hic labor est


	4. Chapter 4

"I notice you didnt tell Mabel this part of the plan." Dipper and Pacifica made their way back towards the Mystery Shack, returning from a detour after they had separated from his sister, who had gone with her trusty grappling hook to return to the twins room for some of the things Dipper needed.

"Well..." Dipper held out a bag of fairy dust before him, "In the Gnome community this isn't exactly... Legal. But that has never stopped Gruncle Stan, and I'm only giving the gnome butterfly's." Dipper didn't mention that he had enough respect for his sister's leaps of intuition, especially involving himself, that he didn't want her to know about the fairy dust at all. In fact, he rather hoped she stayed away from that part of magical world surrounding the shack, but for now she couldn't know what he was going to do until he did it.

Dipper frowned, mentally reviewing his plan. He itched to write it out, but he had to keep it to himself. He couldn't trust anyone, even those he cared about, to let it happen.

If he was honest, he couldn't trust his own ability to pull it off.

"Hey," Pacifica broke the silence between them, "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing to worry about." Dipper shook his head and cleared his thoughts, he had to focus to pull this off as they reached the bushes near the edge of the Mystery Shack. "Now we just need to wait for-"

A crash announced Mabel's part of the plan was in action, as she barreled out the front door and shot her grappling hook into the trees away from Dipper and Pacifica's hiding place, Waddles and a box of chalk in her arms. As she flew off, "dropping" the box on the way, Ford ran off after her, and as Dipper predicted Stan stayed behind.

Dipper pushed the branches out of the way, (holding them so they didn't smack Pacifica in the face.) and walked up to the shack. Stan was there, watching his brother disappear into the forest. He noticed Dipper and Pacifica quickly.

"Hey kid," Stan Pines began. "I thought I told you to stay-"

"I'm really sorry about this Gruncle Stan." Dipper interrupted, throwing a bag of the fairy dust in his Gruncle's face. Stan was snoring before he hit the ground.

"Will he be ok?" Pacifica asked, surprising Dipper. Despite her nicer outlooks toward the Pine kids, Dipper didn't expect her to care about his Gruncle.

"He will be fine," Dipper looked at his Gruncle, feeling more than a little guilt about what he had done. But with what he had learned from Pacifica, and knowing his Gruncle's as he did, Dipper felt he did what he must. "He will wake up in a few hours without even a headache. Fairy dust has a slight pain killing property too it."

Pacifica kept watch as Dipper went into the shack, wondering what else he was hiding. She knew the plan he had told them was not the real one. Had known since just after they separated from Mabel and Dipper had led her out into the forest to catch butterfly's, of all things. Pacifica Northwest wasn't a trusting person, and she knew it, but oddly, she didn't find herself wanting to go and check on what Dipper was doing. Dipper wasnt a very trusting person himself, but Pacifica knew he wasn't the type to abandon someone else.

After a time, Dipper emerged from the Shack. Pacifica couldn't see that he brought anything with him, although he could have something in his pack.

"Alright," he said, heading back towards where they had stashed the golf cart. "Lets rendezvous with your driver and head back to the manor."

"Hopefully Mabel meets us back with the driver." Dipper felt he needed his sisters moral support. He picked up the chalk, "Now comes the hard part."

-notes-

Really short chapter. Sorry about that. No I'm not actually. If you are reading this fanfiction, please let me remind you, there are actual quality works out there. You dont have to be here, reading my crap. Go look up EternalElysium on archive or something. Go ship a blue hair boy with a spider. THEY ARE GUINEA PIGS!

facilis descensus averno, sed revocare gradum superasque evadere at auras, hoc opus, hic labor est


	5. Chapter 5

Oddly, Waddles seemed to like Pacifica a lot, settling comfortably on her lap as Mabel, Dipper and Pacifica were driven by her chauffer back up to the mansion. As Mabel chatted away about her daring escape from Ford, Pacifica tried, and failed, to ignore the cuteness which was Waddles.

Despite the severity of the situation, she couldn't help but giggle as the pig shoved its fat face into the window, looking out into the forest around them.

Dipper idly wondered how things would be different if he had let Waddles go with Pacifica instead of his sister. There really wasn't any use thinking about that though. He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but Dipper still had feelings for Wendy, even if he knew they wouldn't be reciprocated as more than friendship. However, because he knew that they wouldn't be reciprocated, he also knew that stopping Robbie in that moment would be pointless.

Dipper shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He couldn't let himself be distracted.

Reentering the manor, Dipper stopped the butler for a moment, obtaining the last piece of his plan.

"Would you be able to deliver two cans of Pitt Cola to the room where we will be working?"

Pacifica raised an eyebrow, but didn't countermand him, and so the butler trotted off towards the kitchens.

Dipper nodded, "Then everything is ready."

Before they could enter the room, however, Pacifica stepped in front of the door.

"Dipper," she said, her voice firm. "Whether I trust you or not, I have to know what you are going to do. No matter what else, the man behind this door is my father."

"My bro-bro already told us his plan," Mabel answered as Dipper considered Pacifica's statement. "He is a good guy who wouldn't hurt a fly!" Mabel snickered at the rhyme.

Looking at Pacifica, Dipper knew she had seen through him. And knowing his sister as he did, even a half truth at this point would reveal everything he had kept hidden. And really, he couldn't blame her. If it had been his sister behind that door he wouldn't have let anyone through, not even his Gruncle's, without knowing exactly what they planned.

"I am going to summon Bill Cipher."

Dipper winced slightly at the flash of hurt in his sisters eyes, she really had thought Dipper had told her everything. But the look was gone quickly as Mabel grabbed his arm.

"You mean the evil triangle dream demon who possessed your body?" Mabel's voice was more serious that it almost ever was, even Waddles was startled by it. "Bill Cipher as in the guy who attempted to invade our Gruncle's thoughts?"

Dipper nodded, "It is the only way."

Mabel started shaking her head. "No. Just no. Bill is bad news Dipper, his last deal hurt you enough."

"What are you talking about?" If anything Pacifica looked more determined to hold her place at the door, Mabel's unusual seriousness and concern clearly shocking her.

Dipper sighed, and began to explain what he knew about Bill Cipher. He only wished he knew more.

"Bill Cipher..." He shuddered slightly, his last encounter with the triangle less than pleasant. "I suppose you could call him a dream demon, as much as 'he' is a 'he.' But it isn't completely true."

Dipper looked Pacifica right in the eye as he told her about the twins experiences with Bill. while he had to keep this from them as long as possible, she really did deserve to know all he did before they went forward.

Or most of it anyway.

"Dipper," Pacifica sounded slightly shaken, uncomfortable with the idea of Dipper being possessed. But she pushed forward regardless, "How will summoning this... creature... help my father?"

"He wont." Dipper was blunt and to the point, "However, I can use Bill as a bridge into your father's mind. Once I am there... Well, I will have to see what is going on first." He didn't mention that he would have no clue how to go about freeing Preston Northwest from whatever was gripping him, but he was sure that the answer lay in the man's mind.

Pacifica hesitated than stepped aside, but Mabel's grip just tightened on his arm.

"Dipper..." She said softly, "Don't do this."

"I have to Mabel," Dipper smiled lightly at his twin, "Don't worry, my plan is perfect. Trust me."

Mabel nodded and let go of his arm, and Dipper stepped into the room with the wild Preston Northwest.

"First things first." Dipper withdrew his last bag of fairy dust and tossed it over Preston Northwest, silencing his rambling and putting the man to sleep. He almost would look peaceful if he wasn't in his underwear surrounded by a disaster of a room.

With chalk, Dipper drew out a circle, complete with the image of Bill in its center and began to chant. The hair on the back of Mabel's neck stood up as she heard her brother utter the same words Gideon had as he had sent Bill to invade Stan's mind. Her heart nearly stopped as his eyes glowed blue with an otherworldly light.

Pacifica was likewise terrified. She had hoped that Dipper could simply cast some spell and fix her father, but she knew better than most that live is never easy. But even though it was for her parents, Pacifica couldn't help but wonder what this was costing Dipper.

The room drained of color... and then...

"Well well well well well well. I must say I didn't expect you to summon me Pine Tree."

-notes-

I originally planned to make this longer. But I didn't, for reasons. The next chapter will likely be a longer one, simply because I am thinking that will be the best way to tell that part of the story. But it might not be, I'm not much of one to commit to this type of thing. I should mention that Dipper was lying last chapter about the fairy dust killing pain. It might, or it might not, I don't know. However, the only actual thing that we see fairy dust do is knock out the unicorn, and I prefer to keep as much of my work as canon as possible. A note on chronology as well, this fic is set between "The Stanchurian Canidate" and "The Last Mabelcorn." This will become important later, unless it doesn't. Oh and fair warning, the next chapter will likely start to earn that M. and not for sexy reasons.

Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo


	6. Chapter 6

The man moved towards the mansion on the hill, being careful to avoid notice from the manors inhabitants. He needn't have bothered, although Gravity Falls could not be considered a safe place, unlike where the man had been, it wasn't dangerous physically (usually). He was curious about what was going on inside the manor, however, and didn't want to alert anyone before he had to.

Six fingers pulled back a leafy branch so bespectacled eyes could get a better view. Ford sighed, thinking he probably should have told Dipper and Mabel what he knew. They were too much like Stanley and himself, curious and impulsive. Continuing his careful movements, Ford hoped he could stop the younger twins from coming to the same end the older ones had.

* * *

"And I never expected to be summoning you," Dipper was nervous and trying to cover it up. "But I need to get into Preston Northwest's mind, and you are going to help me do it."

"Oh really?" Bill Cipher drawled, swinging his cane as he zoomed up close to Dipper. "And why should I do that Pine Tree?"

"Because I will help you with whatever you are planning if you help me with this."

"Dipper, No!" Mabel shouted, any hint of her normally silly demeanor gone, replaced by genuine fear. "What are you doing?"

Pacifica seemed stunned, her jaw dropped open. Though whether or not it was because of his foolishness, the fact a floating triangle with a top hat was talking, or because of what Dipper was doing for her father, Dipper wasn't sure.

"I asked you to trust me Mabel," Dipper winced at the thought of what this would cost his sister, "Please."

Bill simply watched the scene with amusement, and Dipper turned back to him. "All I ask is that I am able to share a drink with my sister before we go, and that you help me inside the mind of Preston Northwest."

"Hmmmm," Bill Cipher's arms moved at strange right angles as the demon seemed to think, his bricks flashing through colors and images. "Well kid, I have to admit I thought you were smarter than this. But I think I can take this deal."

"One final condition," Dipper said as he put his hand forward. "We don't leave Preston Northwest's mind until I have the information I need."

"Deal."

For the second time this summer, Dipper accepted the blue-fire handshake of Bill Cipher.

Instead of letting go, Bill simply shouted "Hold on kid, here we go!" and yanked Dipper into Preston Northwest's head.

* * *

So I said that this chapter might be longer... it wasn't. And i said it might have started to earn its M, and it didn't. Was busy with school and work and family, so i never got around to it. And now that i have i don't have the motivation, so it became two chapters. So sue me. Also, i had to use google translate for the end bit of this. Fuck it, i dont care. This one says "Never open the door to a lesser evil, for other and greater ones invariably slink in after it" just in case the Latin is screwed up by google.

Numquam aperuerit ianuam introibo ad minus malum, semper fugere alia maiora in eo


	7. Chapter 7

Dipper had visited the mindscape of his Gruncle Stan before, and as he looked around he thought that Preston's head was oddly similar. The woods behind him devoid of color, a path filled with broken things that seemed fit for a younger child, leading up to a twisted version of the Northwest Manor. This time however, he was without the companionship of Sooz or Mabel.

Unfortunately, he was not alone either. A single spot of color in the greyscale environment shown out as the yellow triangle floated beside him.

"You know Pine Tree." Bill's voice mocked him as he zoomed around Dippers head, spinning his cane as he did so. "You never did specify that I ever had to let you out of this guy's head at all. It would be funny to lock you in here forever."

"Why you-" Dipper angrily swung at Bill, who didn't bother to dodge letting the fist pass harmlessly through him.

"Relax. If I kept you in here I wouldn't be able to collect on my side of the bargain." Suddenly Bill shifted in size, towering over Dipper and his voice deepened and distorted. "And I have great plans for what we will do when you uphold your side."

Just as suddenly, he shrunk down to normal size. "So lets be on our way shall we?"

Dipper took a deep breath in and let it out, following the demon up the path towards the twisted manor. He hadn't thought it would be easy, and his trials with Bill were only just beginning.

-b-

"Dipper!" Mabel yelled, shaking her snoring brother, who was out cold on the floor beside Preston Northwest. "Dipper what have you done!"

"I love my father," Pacifica said slowly, "But I cant let Dipper do this for me. Is there some way to stop him?"

Mabel grabbed Dipper's Journal and was racing through its contents when a knock came to the door. Despite her shaking, Pacifica went to open it and her jaw dropped.

-b-

"Do you even know where to start, Pine Tree?" Bill was idly spinning his cane as Dipper considered the various doorways before him. Fears. Dreams. Memories. Before he knew where his goal was, at least in general. This time he had less knowledge, less time, and didn't have the help of his sister.

"No, I don't." He pointed to Bill, "But you probably do, and you agreed to help me. So you tell me."

Bill caught his cane on its spin and collapsed his palms making the cane disappear between them. "Well short stuff, there are a lot of things that can drive a man mad. But even if they don't end up afraid of it, they always start out that way."

With that, Bill swung aside gesturing Dipper to enter the hallway containing Preston Northwest's fears.

-!-

Hey There! Did you like this fanfiction? Cause I would love to write more! Alas, eating costs money. So does housing and school and my addiction to cats! Now I could work at some low paying grunt job somewhere... But that would reduce my fanfic output. Never fear, for there is a solution to this catastrophe- You can support me on ! Just visit  vladerag and you can help support me and my writing! Thank you for your time and enjoy reading!

-notes-

So i started a ... im kinda embaressed about it, but if it goes well ill be able to write much much more. Ive got original work (and more than a few fanfictions) that i am itching to get to. Not to mention my projects on youtube. If you really like my work, head on over to and throw a penny my way. It will be much appreciated.


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